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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915865">I'm Here Now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jsrogers/pseuds/jsrogers'>jsrogers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chris Has Nightmares, Eddie joins a fight club, Lawsuit!Buck, M/M, One Shot, Sad Chris, Sad Eddie Diaz, Voicemails, sad buck, somewhat happy ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:26:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jsrogers/pseuds/jsrogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Eddie is affected majorly by the lawsuit.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pre Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'm Here Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! I hope this work is okay, it isn't my favorite, but let me know what you think! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Yo, this is Buck! Leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon as I can!” </em>Eddie stared at his phone confused. Buck always answered when he called, always picked it up on the either the second or third ring.</p><p> </p><p>He tried again.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yo, this is—”</em> Eddie hung up, worry eating at him now.</p><p> </p><p>He <em>needed</em> Buck, needed him to come over, help him with Christopher, maybe… do the whole cuddling thing that they liked to do… But that wasn’t the point. The point was, that he needed Buck. Needed him here, now.</p><p> </p><p>He tried Bobby, maybe to see if Buck was with him.</p><p> </p><p>He picked up on the third ring.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Eddie.” He sounded tense, and Eddie was immediately more on edge, his hands starting to develop a slight tremor.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Cap… is Buck with you?” He asked, and Bobby let out a small sigh.</p><p> </p><p>“Buck… Buck.” He let out a humorless chuckle. “Buck… is suing the department.”</p><p> </p><p>Eddie felt like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped on him.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s… what?” Eddie couldn’t believe his ears.</p><p> </p><p>“Evan Buckley is suing the Los Angeles Fire Department. We have a hearing tomorrow with his lawyer. See you then, Diaz.”</p><p> </p><p>The dial tone rang through Eddie’s ears, his brain still processing all of the information he was given.</p><p> </p><p>Buck was suing the department.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Buck was suing the department. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>That meant…</p><p> </p><p>That meant Buck couldn’t contact any of them. Couldn’t see any of them.</p><p> </p><p>That meant that Buck wouldn’t come over anymore, wouldn’t come and see Chris or him anymore.</p><p> </p><p>How was he going to explain this to Chris? How was this going to impact their routine? How was this going to change everything?</p><p> </p><p>Fuck, he needed to calm down before he had a panic attack.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The panic attack came and went, draining Eddie of all emotions, all feeling.</p><p> </p><p>He felt… numb.</p><p> </p><p>Buck was suing them.</p><p> </p><p>Buck was suing.</p><p> </p><p>Buck.</p><p> </p><p>Eddie wiped his face, his hands coming back wet, the tears that were unshed falling now onto his hand. He looked down at his shirt, the tears having left a wet stan on the collar of his shirt.</p><p> </p><p>Fuck.</p><p> </p><p>He was a mess.</p><p> </p><p>He needed to be strong though, for Christopher. Christopher needed him, needed him to be the big tough dad, needed him to be there for him.</p><p> </p><p>He pulled himself up, walking himself down the hallway, reaching Christopher’s room, pushing the door open slightly.</p><p> </p><p>There he was, sound asleep, his big bear plushy under his tiny arm, face smooshed against it. Eddie smiled a little, sadly, then left the door cracked, heading to his own room.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe he’d let Chris have a day off school tomorrow, god knows he needed one.</p><p> </p><p>They could have a father son bonding day, that would be nice.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe, who knows… Chris has been having nightmares, getting worse by the day.</p><p> </p><p>He hoped his son would talk to him.</p><p> </p><p>He really needed Buck’s help with this. But he couldn’t call him, couldn’t speak to him, couldn’t do anything with him.</p><p> </p><p>Not anymore.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-----------------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This nightmare was bad, really, really bad. Chris had woken up gasping and sobbing, little arms clinging to Eddie’s shirt, gasping into the collar of his shirt.</p><p> </p><p>Eddie rubbed his back gently, other hand against the back of his head, rocking them from side to side slowly.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay… it’s okay, I promise, Mijo… it’s okay… shhh…. Dad’s here now…” Chris calmed down eventually, dozing off against Eddie, face smooshed against his chest.</p><p> </p><p>Eddie resituated them, Chris leaning up against him, Eddie sitting up against the bed frame, holding Chris close to him. He wished he could take the pain away, wished he could help somehow, someway.</p><p> </p><p>But he couldn’t.</p><p> </p><p>He pulled out his phone, finger hovering over Buck’s contact.</p><p> </p><p>Fuck it.</p><p> </p><p>He knew Buck wouldn’t answer, but he needed to get it out.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yo! This is Buck! Leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon as I can!”</em> Eddie waited for the beep, and took a deep breath before he started talking.</p><p> </p><p>“I need you.” His voice broke.</p><p> </p><p>“I need you to just… drop this stupid lawsuit, and I need you back. I need you to come back, Buck. Things aren’t too good here… Chris…” The line cut off, the message cutting off.</p><p> </p><p>Eddie closed his eyes, pressing the phone closer to his jaw, redialing.</p><p> </p><p>He got the voicemail, again, just like he knew he would.</p><p> </p><p>“Chris is having nightmares… about the tsunami… I don’t know what to do. We need you here… <em>I</em> need you here.” Eddie has never felt so weak, so… vulnerable.</p><p> </p><p>He needed Buck.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>--------------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yo! This is Buck! Leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon as I can!” </em></p><p> </p><p>“Buck, fuck… it’s not a good day… I need… I needed you today, someone I could talk to, a shoulder to cry on.” Eddie was in tears, a hand running down his face.</p><p> </p><p>“I need you.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yo! This is Buck! Leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon as I can!” </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Buck listened to each and every voicemail that Eddie had sent, pieces of his heart chipping off after every single voicemail left.</p><p> </p><p>Eddie sounded so hurt, so scared. So vulnerable.</p><p> </p><p>Buck put the phone up to his ear, his eyes welling with tears, the voicemail playing.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>I-I… I’m so scared… Buck, fuck, I’m so scared… I’m spiraling again… started…” </em>He heard Eddie make a choked off noise.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Started joining a street fighting club… we need the money. Chris… he’s doing… better. But… he… we miss you. So much. And… and I know you probably hate me blowing up your phone… I just… I’m sorry, I needed to tell someone—one second Chris—about… everything.” </em>Buck felt the tears rolling down his face.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t realize how much this would impact them. How much this would impact the little family that they had started.</p><p> </p><p>Buck pulled himself up, out of bed.</p><p> </p><p>Screw the stupid fucking lawsuit, screw the rules.</p><p> </p><p>He needed to get to Eddie, needed to hold him close, needed to help be there for Chris.</p><p> </p><p>But… would Eddie really, truly, want him there? He spoke about it, but actions speak louder than words.</p><p> </p><p>Guess he would find out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A knock on the door was all it took for his arms to be full of one Eddie Diaz. Eddie was shaking against him, tears falling onto his shoulder, and Buck pulled him close, pulled him against his chest.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m here… I’m here… it’s okay. I’m here now. I’m sorry, I’m here now…” Buck didn’t plan on letting go, not yet.</p><p> </p><p>Not now.</p>
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